Men's Health Vitamin Supplement Articles & Resources

First, let's deal with defective genes. They could block production of a prostate-protecting substance: glutathione S-tranferase (GST). To boost GST levels, chow down on broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Also, take vitamin C.

Testosterone is not your friend. It converts to a more potent form--dihydrotestosterone (DHT)--linked with baldness, prostate enlargement and cancer. To moderate DHT--levels, eat a little soy. Don't like tofu? Try soy protein powder.

Another potent DI IT-suppressing tip comes from the Seminoles. They believed that saw palmetto was an aphrodisiac, and they were close. In Europe, a third of all prostate prescriptions are for this little berry.

Other supplements also seem to support prostate health. Take 200 micrograms (mcg) of selenium daily--but don't take more than 750 mcg a day or you'll risk another male fear: baldness. Some Canadian researchers found that vitamin E, selenium and soy may work together to halt the loss of telomeres--the tiny clocks that control cell death and prevent prostate tumors.

Opt for the fish the next time you dine out, especially salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel. Fish provide omega-3 fatty acids that may lower a man's risk of developing advanced prostate cancer by 26 percent.

Tune Your Ticker

Men should worry about heart disease just as much as prostate cancer--they still get it more than women do. You already know about exercise. But can supplements help?

Yup. We found solid research for some nutrients.

Vitamin E can lower heart disease risk by a third. Vitamin C, selenium--which you're already taking for your prostate, right?--and zinc can support heart and artery health.

A stack of studies links lycopene to a strong pump. Found in tomato juice and ketchup, lycopene is also available in pill form. (See "Seeing Red," p. 32).

Also, there's reasonable proof flint antioxidants retard cardiovascular decline. Consider pycnogenol, grape seed extract, ginkgo biloba and coenzyme Q10.

Hawthorn berry extract might benefit those with severe heart problems. But if that includes you, make sure you see a doctor.

Lower Your Lipids

Some fats clog your arteries. They'll kill you. You dropped the fries. But can a supplement keep the blood speeding through your veins?

Garlic isn't just for warding off used car salesmen anymore. Studies show the allicin it contains prompts cholesterol to exit the body. It also shuts down the liver's production of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol--the goop that blocks blood flow. One clove a day for several months can lower cholesterol by 10 percent and triglycerides--another harmful blood fat--by 15 percent.

Cooking reduces allicin's power. So look for dried garlic powder in an acid-resistant capsule. The allicin is released in the small intestine instead of the mouth or stomach. That way, you get the total effect without the odor that makes you afraid of getting close.

Shoot for 8 milligrams (mg) of alliin or 5,000 meg of allicin daily.

Fall Faster

Imagine finding TV sets growing wild in a tranquil pasture and they broadcast nothing but reruns of Meet the Press. That's our idea of a natural sedative. Sure, it's a fantasy, but science has found something close to that in valerian.

No one knows how it works, but those who take the herb valerian fall asleep faster and experience a deeper, better sleep. Plus, the effects are strongest for problem sleepers. And in research on insomniacs, valerian reduced morning sleepiness--the opposite of what occurs with sleeping pills.

Try a cup or two of valerian tea before bedtime, prepared with a teaspoonful of the dried root. Or just pop 300 mg of the extract, containing percent valerenic acid.

But hold your nose when drinking it. Much like any Steven Seagal film, this herb carries a rank odor.

Lift Your Libido

Firmer erections. Got your attention? Good. Some research suggests one herbal remedy may offer that very potential.

Already considered a conventional drug in Europe, ginkgo biloba is best known for its ability to improve impaired blood flow. If it can do flint, researchers figured, maybe it can fix erectile problems--as long as they're also caused by jammed arteries. In studies, ginkgo biloba extract improved erections. Recommended dosage is one 40-mg tablet three times per day with meals. At pennies per capsule, it's cheaper than Viagra.

Research on the effectiveness of the herbs maca and yohimbe is still in its infancy, and there may be safety issues with long-term use. And we found no convincing evidence for the wide array of herbal aphrodisiacs sold on the Internet. Buy a pair of silk boxers instead. Stick with whatever you try for at least 2 months.

Beyond that, don't try to treat erectile dysfunction on your own. If the problem isn't being caused by clogged arteries, it could stern from nerve damage, hormone imbalance, anxiety and stress. Even clinical depression. Ask your doctor what might work for you.

Warm Your Winter

Men weren't designed for winter. If it weren't for some quirk of evolution that gave us careers and families, we'd be hibernating in a warm cave, living off our body fat and snoring loudly. But that's only allowed on weekends now. Is there help?

Try this. At the first sign of a scratchy throat, take slippery elm bark extract. It's sold as lozenges and tea. The bark contains polysaccharides, which soothe inflamed tissue.

Two million American men suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of winter depression. SAD involves fatigue, weight gain and social withdrawal. If you encounter these symptoms, head for the door and run--literally. Or walk. Exercise, fresh air and daylight are often all it takes to reverse this condition. If it persists, keep walking--to the doctor's office.

Garlic: Man's Real Best Friend

Studies suggest that consuming a third of an ounce per day of garlic, onion or one of the other allium vegetables lowers a man's risk of prostate cancer--possibly by 50 percent, according to one researcher.

Also, one study found that the prostate receives nutritional support from an ingredient found only in aged garlic extract: S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC).

But it doesn't stop there.

More men die of heart disease than women. And research at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center indicates that aged garlic extract may reduce arterial plaque build-up and lower homocysteine levels--both risk factors for heart attacks. It may also improve cholesterol readings.

SAMC appears to stop colon cancer cells, and possibly other cancer cells, from dividing. Columbia University researchers found that SAMC stops the development of small fibers that help the cells divide, and it reprograms the cells to die off.

Also, aged garlic extract has been found to help ward off the ill effects of higher sugar levels in type 2 diabetics, such as eye, kidney or blood vessel damage.

Garlic may even reduce your risks of getting the flu or a cold, and it may reduce the severity and duration of symptoms if you do fall ill to a bug. Aged garlic extract helps boost the body's natural immune system.

So dogs are fine. But garlic might be man's real best friend.